As American Idol winds down toward its finale on Sunday, May 19, the top three finalists, Abi Carter, Will Moseley, and Jack Blocker, have released new original singles and videos that may help them land the coveted crown as the winner of season 22.
The three-hour finale will feature performances by Idol judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan, along with top three mentor, Jon Bon Jovi. Wynonna Judd, Seal, New Kids on the Block, Jason Mraz, Hootie & the Blowfish, CeCe Winans, Cody Johnson, Bishop Briggs, James Bay, and Season 14 winner Nick Fradiani will also perform.
Videos by American Songwriter
Along with the top three finalists’ singles, the two contestants who previously joined them in the top five also released new songs. Idol favorite Emmy Russell released her original song of heartbreak and finding self-love, “Redemption,” which she co-wrote with Lauren McLamb and Rob Sewell. Triston Harper also released a song he wrote called “H.O.P.E.,” which he had previously performed on Idol as a Top 20 contestant.
Give a listen—and watch—to the top three finalists’ latest songs and a sample of how their post-Idol music may sound.
[RELATED: Emmy Russell Processes “Painful Breakup” on New Song “Redemption”]
1. “This Isn’t Over,” Abi Carter
Abi Carter has come a long way since her February 25 audition performance of Billie Eilish‘s “What Was I Made For?” and describes the type of resilience she needed to get to where she is now in “This Isn’t Over.” Co-written by Carter and Samuel Michael Shrieve, “This Isn’t Over” is a song of perseverance and the perfect anthem to help send the 21-year-old Indio, California native off—or to the top as the winner.
“‘This Isn’t Over’ means so much to me because it’s about growing and becoming a stronger person,” said Carter of the song in a statement. “It’s about finally being able to fight for the kid in me that couldn’t.”
I sat down on the floor, stared at the ceiling
Told myself through white lies, someday I’ll believe it
There’ll be a happy ending (There’ll be a happy ending)
I’ve spent too much time in the mirror
That little girl would stare back, now I don’t see her
She couldn’t keep pretending (She couldn’t keep pretending)
You’ve done the damage, but she’s not abandoned
You brought the fire
Baby, you burned hеr
She wasn’t a fighter, so I had to show her
Somе people grow up (Grow up), you just grew older
You thought it was done? This isn’t over
Oh, oh, oh
This isn’t over
[RELATED: 3 Pop Stars Who Were Turned Down by ‘American Idol’]
2. “All of Yours (To Give All of Mine),” Jack Blocker
This self-penned tender ballad was written by Jack Blocker as a tribute to his wife Georgia, who he credits with encouraging him to keep pursuing a career in music.
“I wrote ‘All Of Yours (To Give All Of Mine)’ about my wife supporting me during the dog days of trying to make a career in music,” said Blocker in a statement. “I’d been working at it for a while now – all the three years of our marriage and then some – but hadn’t yet broken through enough to support our family financially.”
He adds, “If it were just up to me, I would’ve quit a while ago and found a steadier job, but she’s encouraged me over and over again through failure and uncertainty to keep going. This song is a love letter to Georgia and a reminder to myself of what’s truly valuable.”
You got a lot of weight to bear
Cars and homes and love to spare
As much as I tenderly care
You got a lot of weight to bear
You tell me, frankly, I don’t care
I feel I’m built to tie my hair
Long as you’re here and not out there
Boy, I just frankly do not care
‘Cause I love you to pieces
And your dollar is not where my peace is
A god above and a sweet kiss
Is as Heaven on Earth as my world gets
So, don’t hide your eyes
I need all of yours
To give all of mine
3. “Good Book Bad,” Will Moseley
In “Good Book Bad,” Will Moseley advises looking to the Bible for guidance. The 23-year-old Georgia native and former college football player delivers a soulful touch to the song, written by Jordan Walker, Lalo Guzman, and Thomas Archer.
“‘Good Book Bad’ is a song that just instantly connects,” said Moseley of the track. “From the first time I heard a demo of the song I knew the guys that wrote it had something very special, and I was honored to be a part of it. It’s a song that takes you through bad decisions, unexpected blessings, and the trials of life while always reminding you where the answers are found.”
Boy you need the good book bad
All your running around gotta slow down a little
You’re living just a little too fast
You gotta meet the man somewhere in the middle
Moseley continues, “I’ve had friends in these exact situations and have had my fair share of screw-ups and I think that’s what makes the song so special to me.”
[RELATED: 4 Country Stars Who Were Turned Down by ‘American Idol’]
Photo: Disney/EricMcCandless)
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